Week of April 19 - 25, 2004

Welcome to the Tower Topics E-newsletter for faculty, staff and students at Western. 

Missouri Western State College, 4525 Downs Drive, St. Joseph, MO 64507, 816-271- 4200

Click any link for these stories:

Clock Tower Party to Benefit St. Jude's Hospital

Students Hold Day of Silence

Business Department Expands Applied Learning Requirements

News Briefs

Calendar

Ads

Archives

The deadline for all entries is 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, for the next week's issue. Tower Topics will be online weekly during the fall and spring semester.  For more information call 271-5651.

Student Editor:
Jenny Pawlowski

Staff Advisers:
Kristy Hill and Diane Holtz

Clock Tower Party to Benefit St. Jude's Hospital

Several student organizations at Western have teamed up to offer a day of family fun for the community to benefit St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. The first annual "Party at the Clock Tower" will take place 8:50 a.m.-10 p.m. April 23 in the center of campus.

Carnival attractions will include inflatable sumo wrestling, bungee run, fast pitch radar, cork gun booths, a rock climbing wall, mega slide, "catch the wave" surfboard ride, balloon makers, clowns, fire eaters, stilt walkers and more. Several local companies are donating refreshments, and concession stands will be set up on campus. The event will close with a fireworks display.

All Greek fraternities and sororities, Campus Activities Board, Student Government Association, Residence Council and other student groups are hosting the event and setting up booths. There will be a contest between organizations to see who can raise the most money to benefit St. Jude’s.

St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital is a research and treatment facility that deals with catastrophic diseases in children, primarily pediatric cancers. Their mission is to find cures for children with catastrophic illnesses through research and treatment. They also cover all costs insurance does not cover for medical treatment. Families without insurance are never asked to pay. Approximately 4,500 patients are seen yearly. There will be a St. Jude’s information booth on campus.

For more information, contact Tim Lawrence, International Greek Council community service chair, at 294-4981 or Morgan Perry at 294-9199.

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Students Hold Day of Silence

As part of a national event, the Western student group Pride Alliance, along with the Center for Multicultural Education, will hold a day of silence with a "Time of Reflection" candle walk at 8 p.m. April 21. The event is to protest the discrimination, harassment and abuse of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students.

The day of silence is from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., and participants will wear ribbons and pass out dialogue cards that explain why they have chosen to be silent on this day. The candle walk will begin outside the west doors of the Nelle Blum Student Union. A short program will follow at the Glenn E. Marion Clock Tower.

The day of silence, a project of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), is a nationwide, student-led event that involves hundreds of high schools and colleges. On GLSEN’s 2001 National School Climate survey, four out of five gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students reported verbal, sexual or physical harassment at school. Thirty percent also reported having missed a day of school out of fear for their personal safety.

For more information, contact Daniel Kirk, Western Pride Alliance president, at (816) 383-1716 or dkirk9656@msn.com.

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Business Department Expands Applied Learning Requirements

by Tracy Johnson

Last fall, the business department expanded its requirements for business majors. All seniors are now required to earn three credit hours in applied learning.

"We want to prepare our students for a career, and one of the best ways to do that is give them an opportunity to apply what they have learned in the classroom in a business setting," said Carol Roever, associate professor of business. "Our department is committed to offering an opportunity for every graduate."

Clint Williams, ’03, said his applied learning experience helped him secure a job after graduation. Williams, from Utica, Mo., held an internship position with Young & Company CPA PC his last semester of college, and the accounting firm hired him full-time upon his graduation.

"It’s pretty hard to find a job if you don’t have experience," Williams said. "The internship helped so much. In class you learn the definitions, but you learn so much more experiencing it, and you remember it."

Western began focusing more strongly on applied learning as part of its five-year strategic plan, and students have four options to earn the credit.

The first is to participate in a business practicum. This option allows students to assist in solving small business problems and aid in preparing marketing plans and other business solutions through Western’s Small Business Institute.

Directed student research is another option where students engage directly with a faculty member; and the third option is a business internship where students work for a local organization.

Enrolling in the Global Viewpoint course is a fourth option. In this course, students study businesses in a foreign country, and travel to a selected country at the end of the semester. The course is offered every other year, and the next trip will be led by assistant professor of business Dr. Matrese Benkofske to Poland next spring.

Other options to fulfill applied learning requirements may be suggested by students or faculty, but must be submitted for approval.

Tom Williamson, assistant to the chair in the department of business, said that previous requirements for the major were effective, but not all students could take part.

"Previously, only selected students were given the opportunity to participate in an internship and not all were required to enroll in a practicum," he said. "The new requirements are more effective because different types of applied learning opportunities are available to fit the individual desires of all students."

Williamson also pointed out that more applied learning opportunities for students allow them to work closer with faculty or employers in areas of interest that benefit the students’ long-term objectives and offer flexibility with personal schedules.

"Applied learning is really a partnership between the college and the community," Roever said. "It benefits the students, the business and the college."

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• Volunteers needed! "The Big Event 2004" service day is April 24. This daylong event sends Western students, faculty, staff and administrators into the St. Joseph community for service at a variety of agencies. The Center for Multicultural Education (CME) will attempt to match volunteer skills and work preferences to agency needs. Transportation to all work sites will be provided. For more information and to sign up, visit http://www.missouriwestern.edu/CME/big_event.asp or call the CME at 4150.

• "Yes, You Really Do Use Math in the Real World," computer science, mathematics and physics department colloquium is at 3:30 - 4:20 p.m. April 21 in the Evan R. Agenstein Science and Math Building, room 109. Senior mathematics major Amy Kerling will focus on Interest Theory, specifically retirement planning and home loans. Everyone is invited to attend. Refreshments will be served at 3 p.m. in the Evan R. Agenstein Science and Math Building, room 109.

• All alumni of the St. Joseph Junior College are invited to the annual Junior College Brunch April 25. The brunch will begin at 12:15 p.m. in the Nelle Blum Student Union, Hoff Room, 218. Cost is $10 per person. To make reservations, call 5646 by April 19. Advance payment is requested.

• Western employees who have retired since last spring and those who will retire in the next few months will be honored at a retirement reception 2:30 p.m. April 23 in the Nelle Blum Student Union Hoff Room, 218. All are welcome. Those who will be honored are Bonnie Alsbury, assistant professor of nursing, Joyce Courter, director of health services, Perry Morris, residence hall craftsman, LTC Gary Moore, battalion commander and professor of military science, G. Barry Nelson, associate professor of engineering technology, Dr. James Roever, vice president for institutional advancement, Mary Stephenson, graduate records coordinator, and Richard Yeager, assistant professor of music.

• Senior theatre student Ryan Gerster will deliver a presentation on the life of Julie Taymor, award-winning director of Broadway's "The Lion King" and the films "Titus" and "Frida" at 1 p.m. April 28 in the Thomas E. Potter Fine Arts Building theater. Gerster will examine Taymor's career as a director, designer and artist.

• Western is teaming up with the St. Joseph Museum for the second year to host an arts open house at 6 p.m. April 30 at the Wyeth-Tootle Mansion, 11^th and Charles Streets. The event is free and open to the community. The arts night offers the community an opportunity to meet Western students and faculty who will display their original works of art and video productions, perform music and recite poetry in the setting of the mansion, built in 1879. For more information, contact Kathy Reno at the St. Joseph Museum, (816) 232-8472.

• The 31^st annual Children’s Lifetime Sports Academy for children ages 8 -12 is 1:30-5:15 p.m. June 7-11 on campus. Children have the opportunity to experience activities such as canoeing, rappelling, scurry hockey, fishing, archery, obstacle course, mini track, pickle ball, racquetball, badminton, snorkeling, recreational games, fly tying, water sports, target practice and frisbee golf. The cost of registration is $65 for one child and $50 for any additional children. Registration is limited to 200. Registration forms and information online can be found at http://www.missouriwestern.edu/hper/clsa.asp For more information, contact Mary Beth Alpers in the health, physical education and recreation department at 4491.

• The Executive Committee of the Western Foundation recently approved $30,000 to be used for special project allocations to be awarded for academic year 2004-2005.  The deadline for proposals to be submitted is April 19. A description of the allocation process and a copy of the Allocation Request Form are available at  http://www.missouriwestern.edu/foundation/foundalloc.pdf If you are requesting funds for a project for which funds have been provided previously, then your "accountability report" for the previous project must be received prior to, or with, the new proposal.  See the instructions for the report at the website.  

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Monday, April 19

• Exit Exams, 5-8 p.m., A 201, 202 and 205

• Calculus Bee Written Exam, 3:30 p.m., SM 109

• Library Book Sale

Tuesday, April 20

• Miss Missouri 2003 will address the issue of date rape in two presentations, 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., A 304

• Library Book Sale

• Baseball vs. Washburn, 3 p.m.

Wednesday, April 21

• Computer science, math and physics colloquium with senior mathematics major Amy Kerling, 3:30 p.m., SM 109

• "Managing Healthy Fish Populations in Missouri Lakes and Ponds" conservation seminar with Harold Kerns, wildlife biologist and fisheries district supervisor, 4 p.m., Conservation Building conference room

• Library Book Sale

• Softball vs. Washburn, 3 p.m.

Thursday, April 22

• Stephanie Van Reigersberg, chief interpreter of the White House and State Department, will present "Language and Culture on the Front Lines of Diplomacy: Interpreting with a Capital 'I,'" 7 p.m., Leah Spratt Hall Kemper Recital Hall

• French Conversation Table, noon - 12:45, SS/C 211

• Board of Regents meeting, 4:30 p.m., SU 220

• Library Book Sale

Friday, April 23

• "Party at the Clock Tower," 8:50 a.m.-10 p.m., center of campus

• Calculus Bee Countdown Round, 3:30 p.m., SM 109

• Library Book Sale

• Baseball at Pittsburg State, 7 p.m.

Saturday, April 24

• Big Event service day, 8 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., meet in SU 219

• Chamber Opera presentation, 7:30 p.m., Leah Spratt Hall, Kemper Recital Hall

• Exit Exams, 9 a.m. - noon, A 101, 102 and 104

• Baseball at Pittsburg State, 1 p.m.

• Softball at Minnesota Tournament

Sunday, April 25

• School of Liberal Arts and Sciences Honors Convocation, 4 p.m., FA Theater

• Jazz Ensemble, 7:30 p.m., FA Theater

• Softball at Minnesota Tournament

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For Sale: Bone/off-white double bowl enamel sink with fixtures. It is 8.5 inches deep, cast iron and in good condition. $20. Contact Dr. Todd Mick, assistant professor of marketing, at 4319.  

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